Apparatus for removing air from steam-condensing systems



A. E. BROUGHTON APPARATUS FOR nnmovne AIR FROM STEAM commusmo SYSTEMS June 21, 1927. v 1,633,472

Filed July 10. 1924 IN VE N TOR TORNEY Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR n. ,BROUGHTON, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

APPARATUS FOR nnmovme Am more srnAu-oonnnnsme SYSTEMS,

Application filed July 10, 1924.. Serial No. 725,316.

As is well known, the. pressence of air in steam condensing systems interferes with the proper (.llStllblltlOII. of heat and lowers the efficiency generally, but it is frequently,

impossible to eliminate air altogether from such systems. economically to remove the. a1r have been unsuccessful, as far as applicant is aware,

either because'the apparatus-provided is too expensive, or because the-amount of power required to withdraw the air is excessive It is my object to provide a novel and I simple method and apparatusfor continuously withdrawing air from a steamcondensing system with a minimum expenditure of power. p

While the present inventionmay be ap-, plied to almost any steam heating, drying or condensing system, I find that, one such system to which it is particularly applicable is the dryer of a papermaking machine, such as-that described in my co-pending application for patent on heating system for paper. dryers, filed March 15th, 1924, Serial No. 699,464. I

To securebest results with the apparatus of said co-pending application, it is necessary to place certain of the traps and receivers at a lower level than the dryers and this is impractical where there is no space provided by a basement or other room, beneath the paper machine. Where there is no such space, the header or headers for condensate, connected to the several dryers by individual pipes, are :located upon the floor or just above the floor level and it is essential that what ever apparatus is pro vided to remove air from the system should be positioned above floor level and be adapted to withdraw air upward from the head ers. In a system of this kind steam, as well as condensate, is present in the headers and I have discovered that air collects in the headers upon the surface of the condensate.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated diagrammatically apparatus suitable for removing air from a header of the kind described above. Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the header and condensate outlet, showing the air withdrawal pipe.

In the drawings the numeral 3 indicates the condensate header which is in direct communication with the interior of the dryers, being connected therewith by a series Attempts continuously and of pipes 4. These pipes 4- allow steam well as condensate to flow from the dryers to the header 3. Outlet pipes 5,'communi eating with the header 3 somewhat above the bottomthereot, are-adapted to carry oft-the: condensate and to maintain a sub-- stantially constant level of water header 3. 1 1

To. remove the air, which collects upon the surface of. the water in the header,CI

in the place withdrawal pipes 6 'at suitable intervals (preferably from 5' to 8' feet apart) along the header and extendsaid pipes into the hea'der so that the openends are'just above the water level. As shown in Fig. 2,

this can be conveniently ,done by forming!- aqlong thread, on each of the pipes 6 and turning them into suitablebushings 7 placedin the upper periphery of. the header. The several air pipes G are joined to acommon cross pipe 8 which, in turn, is connected by a pipe ,9-with a closed receiver 10. Mounted in communication with the receiver 10 a thermostatic valve 11 of common type adaptedto allow air to escape'readily frornsaid receiver, but arranged to close when steam at or near the; temperature. of? that inthe header 3 starts to escapethrough the valve.

The operation of myinvention is as fol lows. lVhen the header 3, above the level of condensate therein, is filled with steam and before a substantial amount of air has collected in said header, the pipes 6, 8 and 9 and the receiver 10 will also be filled with steam so that the valve 11 is closed. However as air collects upon the surface of the condensate it will be drawn into the receiver 10 by the reduced pressure caused by gradual condensation which takes palce in the receiver and connectingpipes. 'Air will thus pass into the receiver 10 until the temperature therein has been reduced suiiiciently to cause the valve 11 to open. The air will now be expelled through thevalve 11 by steam pressure in the header which remains.

out of order. The operation of withdrawing air from the header 3 1s continuous and automatic and the loss of steam in condensation in the receiver 10 and connecting pipes is. slight. On the other hand the application of my invention to a paper making machine greatly increases the speed at which the dryers can be operated and generally improves efficiency.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In mechanism for removing air from steam condensing systems, the combination With a receptacle adapted to be supplied with steam, of means for permitting withdrawal of air from saidreceptacle substantially continuously, a receiver adapted to collect the air so removed and means for periodically allowing the escape ofair from said receiver.

2; In mechanism for removing air from steam condensing systems, the combination with a receptacle for condensate adapted to be supplied with steam, of means for permitting withdrawal of air and steam from near the surface of said condensate, a receiver adapted to collect the air andsteam so removed and means for permitting the escape of air from said receiver.

3. The combination with a long and relatively narrow receptacle for condensate disposed substantially horizontally, of a series of spaced pipes communicating at one end with said receptacle, a common receiver for air connected to the opposite ends of the several pipes and means on said receiver adapted to allow the escape of air therefrom.

4:. The combination with a condensate receptacle having a continuous supply of steam, of a pipe projecting into said receptacle and having an opening adjacent, to the surface of the condensate therein, a receiver in communication with said pipe adapted to permit accumulation of air, said receiver being'positioned above said receptacle and arranged to drain thereinto, and a thermostatic valve connected to said receiver and adapted to allow the escape of cooled air therefrom but preventing the escape of steam.

5. The combination with a substantially horizontal header for condensate adapted to i be supplied with steam, of a series of spaced pipes communicating with said header, a

drawal pipes communicating with said re-' ceptacle and extending upward therefrom, a common receiver for the several air Withdrawal pipes connected to the upper ends of said pipes and of a size adaptedto allow accumulation of a substantial volume of air therein and a valve on said receiver arranged to allow the escape of air therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification;

- ARTHUR E. BROUGHTON, 

